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Well after many many months of delay and piddling around with companies trying to get a replica made I decided to do it myself with real horse hair and ostrich feathers. I am not 100% satisfied but it was a learning experience and the next go around should go much smoother as I made up the techniques as I went and found what worked and what didn't for me.

All the hair is hand installed and glued in with hot glue (ouch, burnt the **** out of all my fingers....Many blister's were had lol). The tail is done but just not installed yet and the hair was dyed black to give it that on screen "solid" black look but in reality the hair had browns and blacks mixed it for the screen used when it was filtered out with the camera. The hair was hair sprayed up with random stuff I found at the store. Then later sprayed with a 3M tacky spray glue for a more permanent hold.

I'd had plans to to a Leo lid a while back. Never even got to the research stage unfortunately. But it is far and away my favorite lid form 300. I think you've captured it very nicely :thumbup

Any idea what they used for the film prop? Is it possible it was synthetic (nylon) so it would hold it's shape and stand up without assistance? This is where my mind was going but again, I just never got around to diggin into the details.

I'd had plans to to a Leo lid a while back. Never even got to the research stage unfortunately. But it is far and away my favorite lid form 300. I think you've captured it very nicely :thumbup

Any idea what they used for the film prop? Is it possible it was synthetic (nylon) so it would hold it's shape and stand up without assistance? This is where my mind was going but again, I just never got around to diggin into the details.

Sweet

FP

Synthetic was the route I was going to go so I could by pass all the hair straightening BS spray on stuff that goes with it. Unfortunately I couldn't find much in that area and the few companies I spoke with about creating a pre-made Mohawk wanted upwards up $500 for a mock up.

After doing a bunch of research and Q and A of a few people that worked on the movie I found out the original helmets (their were 17 of them) were made with horse hair ostrich/peacock feathers so that's the route I end up going.

After the pull with bondo, I figured it was kind of dumb to have 2 molds just to have the a crest. Not to mention a big pain in the butt to cast, so I just have a separate mold piece for the crest that fits the ver2 helmet.

I've found that I've had to come up with new and innovative ways to mold things these days to offset. Everything just short of cutting corners that matter

Do you reinforce the nose bridges on yours? I stopped doing it. I was using a piece of 1/4 inch aluminum rod. What a hassle. It turns out that those without reinforcement were fine without anyway. 20/20 they say

I've found that I've had to come up with new and innovative ways to mold things these days to offset. Everything just short of cutting corners that matter

Do you reinforce the nose bridges on yours? I stopped doing it. I was using a piece of 1/4 inch aluminum rod. What a hassle. It turns out that those without reinforcement were fine without anyway. 20/20 they say

FP

Actually no, I have never broken a nose personally on my helmet. I cast them pretty thick in that area so that its got some extra strength. The weakest spot Ive come across with these helmets seem to be in the temple area where the eyelet cross over to the ear area. If dropped and landed on that area they tend to crack. I usually try to cast them thicker in these area's as well but its difficult task as you don't want to change how thick it is by to much otherwise its not even wearable.

Yea my helmet had a small crack happen right in that little eye edge. But it just happened from using that side to take the helmet on and off. It's not a big deal I reinforced it from the inside and made sure I just don't take it off like that anymore or carry it by that part.

That is a beautiful piece man. Good work as always. I dig the fact the Mohawk is little taller but thats just me being that I am punk rocker at heart lol. I am in for one Tim. I am going to be up to my ears in helmets over the next few weeks (other acquistions in play, EVO, Mr. Bungle) but I don't want to miss this one if your rollin' it out on short run. Outstanding work bro, A+